Apes Will Rise

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A rush of pride filled him as they cheered, accompanied by a vague sense of belonging and compassion. His face was marred by barely-there disappointment, however.


A rush of overwhelming pride filled him as they cheered and hollered, announcing their loyalty to their small world in a way he hadn't anticipated. It was accompanied by a vague sense of belonging and compassion, and perhaps the realization that he had a duty to these apes. Get them out safely, give them a home, show them and teach them everything he knew. They would be okay, far from human civilization, and together they would build a civilization of their own.

It sounded nigh-impossible. But Abtik wasn't anything if not idealistic.

Abtik acknowledged Joao with a curt nod, and answered his question curtly. "Sick, and dying." He signed only us. And it was true. The only healthy and able-bodied apes resided in this room, while every other containment room he'd passed had been quarantine for ill and terminal apes until they got the permission to euthanize. Or until they got better, but he'd never seen them return to this room. "Other labs," he continued. "Other places. We leave this place, grow strength. Rescue." He signed together and strong, for all to see. When the howling and cheering died down somewhat, he turned back to explain his plan to his newly instated SIC.

"Humans--" he signed busy, "food-place. Will come here. But... one room, not far. Place where giant metal crates are. Can go out, with number-key. Not many humans."
 
Joao

Although it would have been beneficial to have more numbers, it wasn't worth using precious time and effort to attempt to free the sick. The only use they would have would be to give the humans who would no doubt be pursuing them easy targets to slow them down, assuming they could walk to begin with. They had been in a very sorry shape when they had been taken from this room, especially the one that had provided the distraction and the drive that the Apes had needed to begin their quest for freedom. Joao knew the symbols on the cage, as he had taken notice as he had passed it while opening the others that had still been occupied by Apes. N-I-K-K-I. Whatever the symbols meant to the humans, whatever name they spelled, Joao knew that they all had to be grateful to that Chimpanzee, even if it wasn't consciously giving its life so that all of their's could be lived in freedom from this point on. Nikki would die in this laboratory, but thanks to him, most of the other Apes wouldn't. Not only the other Apes in this laboratory, if what Abtik was saying was true. There were more, and Abtik would lead this troop to them, free them, recruit them. What the end result of all of this after they had freed all of the Apes would be, Joao couldn't be sure. But this was something that felt like fighting for, although perhaps in his case for the wrong reasons. He wanted revenge on humans, who had mistreated him for his entire life. More Apes, higher numbers, would be on his side for that. More raids on human establishments would put humans directly in his path and in the chaos, he could take what he so craved. A shiver of anticipation ran through his body and he bristled his coat. He was ready.

"Ready. Will fight." He formed the signs with his fingers and snorted through his nose, taking the key from his lips back into his hand. It was very possible that the piece of metal had outlived its usefulness, but he intended to keep it regardless so long as Abtik didn't request it back. It had been this key that had given him power; the power to free the Apes, and the power to cage the humans. He wanted to remember that feeling. Gone were all thoughts that had filled his mind before, of the wrongness of creatures confined to cages. Humans did so for their selfish pleasure and entertainment. Joao did so for revenge. In his mind, he was justified. He wasn't oblivious to the disappointment that briefly passed Abtik's face, but he wasn't bothered by it either. It felt too right to be wrong. He and the Chimpanzee were on different pages, and it was Abtik who had the knowledge of how to get the Apes out of the building. They needed his leadership and the information stored within his mind. Besides, an Ape willing to sacrifice himself for others was useful, dedicated, and respectable.

Cozy

The Chimpanzee was keenly aware of the others around him, and he noticed some of them discarding their weapons. It seemed as though they fed off of the energy of the one who was leading them, to some extent. Joao's willingness to fight had stirred them, and now Abtik's knowledge of escape was calming them. Bringing them back to their senses. Hyper intelligent or not, Cozy knew that Chimpanzees were aggressive creatures that were quick to jump to violence to solve everything and anything. He wasn't certain of Bonobos - something he had heard the scientists refer to Joao as, along with one other Ape - but Joao was definitely willing to embrace animalistic tenancies when it came to his anger. Cozy knew it was also true of himself, but it wasn't something that he found pride in. It scared him. He didn't want to crave violence the way he sometimes did, a trait that he had gained only after being forced to inhale the strange mist. It had changed him. Made him think more, act less. He knew that injuring every human they came across wouldn't help them to their freedom any quicker, but he feared that if he locked eyes with any one of a handful of certain humans that worked in this building, he might not be able to help himself. It would be his undoing if he gave in to his anger, and he couldn't let that happen. He wanted grass and trees, and revenge against humans wasn't worth giving up the chance to have that again. He had to control himself.

He pushed his way to the front of the crowd of Apes, watching Abtik and Joao converse. They were both in positions of power and he wondered what would happen if one of them perished during their escape. He hoped it would be Joao. Abtik was a more logical thinker, and he had more control over himself. Joao was too prone to giving into being an animal. Cozy didn't understand how or why, but they were more than that now. Not animal, but not human. Somewhere in between, an artificially created middle. Too smart to be animal, but too primitive to be human. He had heard those words from a caretaker, but he had been quickly reprimanded and told that the Apes were nothing more than beasts, intelligent or not. Cozy knew that wasn't true. He hoped that Abtik would help the Apes prove that to these humans. He was their only hope of it.
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Abtik grumbled lowly and searched through his memories of the lab's layout, where each door led and where each hallway ended. The closest way to the crate room was down the hall and down the walkway that led between the chemical lab and the room put aside specifically for testing. The hallway they were in looped around the chemical lab on the other side, through the cafeteria.

It was a longer way, but it went to the same destination and would serve as an escape route for their distraction.

"Two ways to crate-room," he began, motioning with his hands what he meant to say. Two, group, and lead. "Security in walls. Doors. Not humans. Must separate, not long." He felt his jaw tiring, unused to the complex patterns and tones of human speech. "Trust... you?" It was a question with an answer he already knew, but Abtik was looking for affirmation, to hear it from Joao himself. None of the other apes he could trust, not fully anyway, so while Abtik was a bit hesitant, he was eager to extend his trust to another besides himself.

"I go through lab. Second way through food-place, lead to same room." He drew an imaginary twist of lines and loops on the ground before them to give his companion an idea of where to head first.
 
Joao

Splitting up would remove some of their strength. Lessen their numbers. On the other hand, it would make it more difficult for the humans to stop them if they were not all in one group. They would be slightly weaker, but Apes were stronger than humans to begin with. They would fight if they needed to, and the humans would not win. Joao could almost feel the breeze of the outdoors, but they needed to get past the humans first, and they would. It was feeling more and more like Abtik wasn't the only Ape who was leading the group to that freedom; Joao had freed the others, and would lead one group to the crate room that Abtik described. He, too, was doing this. He would be respected by the others, perhaps even regarded as a hero. More and more, he was enjoying this idea. He was finally making something of himself, and all thanks to Abtik."Through food place. Lead group." Joao signed the words that Abtik had spoken with a distinct nod to illustrate his understanding. He would he responsible for half of their group, and he would get them to the crate room safely. He was dangerously sure of it because he knew that he would not allow any humans to stand in his way, and he had no qualms with killing one or two to make his point to the rest. Abtik wouldn't be there to say no, and the Apes in Joao's group would obey him.

Ironically, as that thought crossed the Bonobo's mind, Abtik asked the question. Could he trust Joao? Joao hesitated, only because he had never been trusted by another Ape before, to his knowledge and memory. He hadn't interacted with any lab Apes enough to know any on a personal level and it was known that he was often moody due to the frustration of their situation, and his hatred for humans. Now, though, he had a chance to prove that he was more than what they thought of him. He could be a leader, too, and he could get these Apes through the doors to the outside world. He was willing to kill to make that happen, but that did not make him unworthy of Abtik's trust. He, too, could think and plan and execute those thoughts and plans. He was more than his hate and his anger. He would do nothing to sabotage this mission.

In an uncharacteristic act, Joao rose onto his feet to bring himself at eye level with the two standing Chimpanzee. He lifted his hand and placed it firmly on Abtik's shoulder, and spoke. "Trust."​
 
"Humans, unarmed in crate-room. Command," he frowned and signed moving, "metal machines." Abtik fixed Joao with a pointed look, as if assessing the worth or constitution of something. "Do not harm the harmless." He didn't know Joao very well, but he wouldn't put it past the other ape to harm a human. He wouldn't put it past any ape, and almost expected such a thing. He, therefor, was quick to make it known that such actions would not be allowed under his leadership. An Abtik, in all his years of gathering knowledge and wisdom, knew perfectly well how wrong it was to commit murder, regardless of the victim or the cause.

But Abtik seemed pleased to know that Joao could be trusted, for now. Abtik held the codes, the locations of the other labs and thus the key to more numbers. His time, experience, and perhaps what ever charisma he'd dredged up would keep him in control. He'd hand Joao a secondary place of control as a show of trust, and go from their before determining fully. Times like these demanded friends, and Abtik was desperately in need of some. Whether Joao would prove himself to be such a friend was uncertain, but Abtik had high hopes.

"Choose apes to accompany. From there, we split up."
 
Joao

Joao listened intently as Abtik explained more of what they were to do to pull off their escape. Machines were something that Joao had only experienced through the testing, but he couldn't recall any that had moved, other than the vehicles that had filed in and out of the gas station that he had been kept at before being taken to laboratories. This would be new territory to him in many ways, but it was an obstacle that he had no choice but to overcome. Besides, unarmed humans were pathetically weak. They would pose no threat to the apes. And, apparently, the apes were not allowed to pose threats to them. Joao had some thoughts about that, but he knew that he had to bite his tongue, bow his head, and do things Abtik's way. No good would come from internal conflict among the Apes, especially not between the two that would be leading them. As much as he craved revenge, he would just have to suppress it for now. It would be a distraction, afterall, and he couldn't afford a lapse in focus. "Not harm." He signed his understanding, and grunted as he turned to look at the congregation of Apes. This was a decision that would have to be made carefully.

He indicated each Ape that he wanted for himself with a grunt and a point. The smaller ones, notably. Being a Bonobo, he wasn't as large as the Chimpanzees were, and he wanted to ensure that they would all be able to keep the same pace. It would also be useful to be roughly the same size as the others that accompanied him just in case one of them decided that they wanted to lead after Abtik was gone. Joao could not take on an adult male Chimpanzee. It was a worst case scenario situation, of course, but he wanted to be prepared for anything that could happen. Abtik was larger and more powerful and could more easily deal with any upstarts. As cooperative as they all seemed now, chaos and adrenaline could change everything in the blink of an eye.

Joao was sure not to select Cozy for his group, though, no matter how undersized the Chimp was.​
 
Abtik gathered a group of young chimps, strong and agile and perfectly fit for duty. They accepted the chance to join him with youthful fervor, cackling and grouping close together to hear what he had to say. He explained his plan to them in curt language and signage, explaining their roles and his expectations, as well as that of Joao and his group. Their chosen groups would leave only a few apes, most of them somewhat older-- Abtik made it known that they would follow him as well. That cut the formerly imprisoned apes in half, which meant they were ready to get moving. The chimp turned towards Joao and nodded quickly before heading towards the door. "Follow plan. Freedom."

It seemed pointless to reiterate that, but it made him and his followers feel better. He charged down the hallway with the apes following close behind, and turned into the hall leading into chemical labs. An override key - a "very powerful bunch of symbols" - opened the door. The chemical lab reeked of antiseptic and an assortment of varying chemicals. Fear lingered on the tables and chairs where fellow apes had been strapped down for injections, exposures. It sickened him, but he pushed on.

On the other side of the lab was another hallway, a wider doorway to allow for shipments of new chemicals and equipment. He led his group through there and keyed the panel to the right of the lab door, as he'd seen the humans do plenty of times. The security normally posted here seemed to be busy with the panic he'd left in the cafeteria, while the human scientists had cowered in the corners of the lab to avoid his eye. They were preparing for something, and he was glad he wouldn't find out what. If the plan with smoothly, Joao and his group's sudden appearance in the cafeteria would be enough of a shock to keep them busy, thus keeping them off Abtik's back so he could open the door to the crate room. Joao was smart, light and probably fast. He'd manage to make it through the humans with no problem.

He searched his memory for the large metal double doors, and followed the path his mind brought up.
 
Joao

As Abtik took to detailing his plan with his group, Joao followed his lead and did the same. He signed to them, grunting accompanying the hand movements, until he had explained to his followers what both they and Abtik''s group would be doing, and also that they were not to harm unarmed humans, by Abtik's orders. They all seemed to understand, enough for Joao to be satisfied. He took a moment to mentally prepare himself and after Abtik's group had gotten themselves out of the room, Joao roared with a sweep of his arm to make his point. He could hear the thundering of his group behind him as he galloped down the hallway, sure that his feet and knuckles had never hit the ground quite as hard as they were now. His actions had purpose, an end goal, and the others were depending on him to lead them to that goal. It was more power and responsibility than he'd ever had before, and although it should have been fairly overwhelming, he was only determined. Maybe it was the adrenaline coursing through him that made him feel more powerful than nervous, but whatever the case, he was grateful for it. It was what he needed right now, what his followers needed. All it would take for this to fall apart around them was a second of hesitation or unsurety.

The Bonobo's lips pulled back to expose a flash of white fangs at the first sight of a human. He was in the hallway, and as soon as he saw the charging group of Apes, he exclaimed and ducked off to one side. This allowed the Apes to run past him without difficulty, but many of them took it upon themselves to hiss or scream at him on their way by. Joao didn't reprimand it; afterall, was that harming? He didn't think so. Instead, he continued on, and the others followed him. They invaded the cafeteria within moments, humans still stunned from Abtik's escape scattered around the room. Now, they screamed in terror at the sight of so many more escaped Apes. Joao relished in their fear, and had to remind himself: no harm. That didn't stop him from yelling angrily at one of the humans, though, as he tore past them on the floor. Some of the other Apes leapt from table to table, their muscles both grateful and tired from being able to be used now. The humans were cowering, backing against the walls, and allowing the Apes through. It was a best case scenario.

That is, until a security guard stumbled into the room, his finger already on the trigger. Humans were not stupid, and Joao acknowledged this, begrudgingly. But he hadn't expected them to be able to pick out which Ape was leading the others. The gunshot was deafening in the enclosed room, and the pain in his shoulder was nearly paralyzing, but the bullet had only grazed his flesh. It was enough, though. This human was armed. This human was dangerous. Before Joao had fully whirled himself around, an Ape was already on the man. And another. Another. Joao snarled through his teeth and charged towards them as quickly as he could with his new injury. The other Apes were already pummeling him with fists and feet, some with teeth. He had already taken to covering his face and crying out, rather than continuing to fire his gun. The surrounding humans were screaming now and Joao would have enjoyed the sounds of it, had he not been so focused on revenge. The Chimpanzees backed off when Joao arrived, growling down at the unfortunate guard who had only been doing his job.

At first, Joao seemed unsure of what to do. His eyes flicked to the shining black object clutched into one of the man's hands. Even injured, Joao had enough strength to wrench the gun out of the man's hand. He held it in his own, breathing heavily as he ran his eyes over it, consideringly. He turned his focus to the terrified human, tears streaming down his face. Joao's face twisted into a grin at the sight of a human cowering powerlessly beneath him. But fortunately for the human, Joao didn't know how to operate a gun. Instead of shooting, he lifted his good arm and brought the object down onto the man's head as hard as he could, easily knocking him unconscious. The Apes hooted and hollered their support and excitement, and Joao placed the gun in his mouth - shooting side away from him, of course - and leapt off of the human. He would bring the weapon with him, but he had to get these Apes to safety before he could think about figuring out how to use it. Still, the absolute power surging through him was the best feeling he had ever experienced in his life...

With that, he lead them out of the cafeteria, following the hallway that Abtik had instructed.

Cozy

Frankly, Cozy was relieved that he would be in Abtik's group. He trusted Abtik's leadership much more than Joao's. Already, his allegiance was clear.

He listened to each of Abtik's instructions and readied himself for what was to come. He nearly forgot to breathe once he was actually out of the door, loose in a hallway for the first time since he'd arrived there. The tiling of the floor felt foreign under his feet, but he ignored the strange sensation as best he could and pressed on, doing his best to stay in the front lines, as close to Abtik as possible. He didn't want to be caught in the back if something were to happen. He clenched his teeth over the chain that he had to keep off of the ground to avoid tripping as he waited for Abtik to type in the correct series of buttons, something he had seen the humans do countless times without measure. The sight of an Ape doing it felt strange somewhere in his gut, but it was also empowering. Cozy felt a strange rush of pride, even. There had been a time in his life where he had wondered if he was a human, like his caretakers who had raised him. He had liked the idea at the time, until he had been given a mirror for the first time and he had realized quickly that he was something different. He hadn't known what he was, for a period of time. He had figured it out, of course, after he had been placed with other Chimpanzees. Even then, he hadn't been completely comfortable with the idea. But now? Now, he was proud to be what he was.

He nearly hesitated when the doors to the experimentation room opened, to reveal what they considered a torture chamber that they had visited entirely too many times. His heart was in his throat at the sight of the tables and the chairs, the equipment that had been used on him, but he knew he had to press on and ignore the fear and the memories. That was all over now, but only if he could focus. So, he followed Abtik. Through the room filled to the brim with terror, down a hallway that reeked of chemicals to the point of nearly making him feel nauseous. He didn't know how close they were to the crate room that Abtik had promised an escape route through, but he hoped they were getting there. He had seen plenty of the inside of the laboratory and all he wanted now was grass and trees and a life without humans. But the journey wouldn't be over when they reached the outside... They would have to get through the human jungle before they could find a forest to call their own. There were still many obstacles ahead.

The sounds of the other Apes alerted Cozy to the fact that Joao's group had caught up with them, to the doors that he assumed and hoped were the ones that would lead them into the crate room. But as soon as he laid eyes on Joao, some of the anticipation sunk and was replaced with a firm knot twisted into his intestines. Both the blood from his shoulder and the gun in his mouth told Cozy that this was a little more complicated than he had thought it would be. How would Abtik react to this?


​
 
The great metal doors were expertly, securely locked. Only two codes Abtik knew of would allow him entrance, one of which was the override key. He had a vague comprehension of the word 'override', but had been quick to associate with good things and power. It was a slight reassurance, as well as a warning; letting it get to his head would lead them nowhere, and the codes were to be forgotten the moment they escaped. He would explain that they would no longer need them, and in doing so present his fellow apes with freedom. It was an encouraging thought, one he held onto tightly as the doors before him slid apart. Abtik clacked his knuckles on the thick metal to gather his group together, and ventured inside.

It was a large, well lit room, albeit mostly empty with just a few parked vehicles on the far end. He sniffed, scanned the room, but found the only lingering presence of human to be the stench of fear. Humans were unique like that, quick to fear the very thing they made. The human in question cowered under the undercarriage of the nearest van, had probably not made it out by the time Abtik had gotten here and decided to hide instead. Abtik wouldn't have even noticed had he not inspected the van for use.


His chest rumbled in a laugh, and soon the others had joined in as well, though they did not know why. Too loud for Abtik's taste, but he didn't demand their silence. They deserved their amusement. He barked orders at the other apes in broken sentences, to search the room for anything of use, anything that could be used to defend themselves. Tire irons, wood planks, a few small but heavy wrenches from a worker's toolbox. While they searched, Abtik turned his attention back to the man, squinted, and then left him to seek out his own tool. It was probably best to stay out of his way until they were gone, as his temper was short and his apes would likely not be able to control themselves in the presence of a fearful human.

He perked at the sound of the second group, closing in. As soon as they had reunited, they'd be on their way and Abtik would lead them. Pride once again bubbled inside him, and he promised himself he wouldn't fail what he would one day consider family.
 
Joao

It didn't take long for Joao to realize what Abtik's group was doing. He grunted to get his group's attention and signed for them to look for weapons as well. Some of them still had what they had found in the cage room, others had picked something up in the cafeteria. Now they either elected to keep what they already had, found something better, or obtained the first weapon their fingers would touch. Himself, Joao had the gun that he didn't know how to use. He knew how useful they were as weapons, and that alone was enough for it to be worth keeping, but it would also be useless for anything except threat if he couldn't fire it. The stinging pain in his shoulder told him of how dangerous it truly was, and what would happen if he were to accidentally set it off in the path of an Ape. After a moment of thought, he approached Abtik and grunted for his attention. "Don't know how to use." He took the gun from his mouth and held it out to Abtik, a quiet whimper catching his attention as soon as he did so as something else observed this exchange.

Only then did he notice the human that was huddled beneath the van. His gaze followed the sound and his lips pulled back immediately, but he refrained from much else. Abtik was present, and he had an odd sense of mercy when it came to humans, it seemed. Joao couldn't understand it, but he also didn't feel quite right in thinking lowly of Abtik for any reason. It was him who was giving all of the Apes freedom, and that overrode all else. The Bonobo tore his eyes from the human and managed to take a more neutral expression, though one of mild anger still remained. He hoped Abtik understood that he wasn't angry with him. It was directed at the humans, but that much could be easily figured out even by somebody like Cozy. Even without the blood leaking from the bullet wound, it had always been obvious that Joao did not like humans.

Cozy

Cozy couldn't help himself when they entered the room, after he got over the sight of Joao with a gun. He stood in awe for a moment, hovering in the doorway as he scanned the area with his eyes. He was always torn between admiration for what the humans had the capability of creating and disdain for how they used it. He caught himself, though, and brought his focus back to the task at hand. Finding a weapon. Given the choice, Cozy would have flung rocks at humans in self defense as he has seen the other Chimpanzees do during his days at the zoo, but that wouldn't work here. There were no stones in sight, and he couldn't possibly carry a large number while still running and potentially climbing, for all he knew. He settled, instead, for a elongated piece of metal that he hoped he wouldn't need to use.

As he examined his weapon, his eyes caught Joao and Abtik. Joao giving Abtik the pistol... Surely, Abtik wouldn't want to use that? Abtik didn't seem to be the overly destructive sort. It suited Joao much more. Cozy held the metal pole to himself and scampered over to where the other Apes were gathering, to get a closer look at the exchange between the two leaders. He could easily pass it off as joining the waiting group after finding a weapon, rather than purposefully eavesdropping. Besides, it was useful to know the intentions of the one who was their alpha. If they were now allowed to harm humans, it was something they all needed to know. He was sure that Abtik would make an announcement before they exited, but he wanted to be sure. If a gun was going to be firing and it was from their side, he needed to know that.​
 
Abtik's attention zeroed in on the wound Joao sported almost instantly, a mix of irritation and sympathy joining the storm of emotions behind his eyes. He'd never been in the path of a human bullet, but he had an idea of what it felt like - even if it was only a graze. Sharp and hot, probably like a needle with periods of stinging and ache. Surely at least one of the apes among them would be able to sniff out a natural remedy once they were free, something to keep the pain at bay while it healed. There would be no human medicine in the wild. When Joao offered the gun, Abtik was quick to take the weapon and examine it closely.


Guns were no good if he wanted to keep peace, but their mere presence alone was enough to scare away any particularly daring human. It might be of use if he wanted to avoid bloodshed.

"Discuss later," was the only thing he said of the gun. He gestured to the wound in the other ape's shoulder, signed cover. "Stop leaking. Find something for pain outside." He figured, wisely, that Joao wouldn't want any pain medication they'd find in the emergency med-kit. The gauze alone would do, because as reluctantly as Abtik was to use a human made product, it was clean and sterile and best used for wounds such as these. He didn't need Joao, or any of the apes, to become sick with fever. He called over the nearest chimp, wielding a long and thin plank of wood like a club, and pointed towards the yellow medical kit fixed to the wall.

Humans had decent forsight, he'd admit. But he felt no thankfulness - they owed the apes that much for the pain he and his kind had gone through. Leaving decent medical tools and wraps was the least they could do to repay them.

The chimp nodded and followed Abtik's silent command. Abtik turned back to Joao. "I must speak to them. Then, we leave."
 
Joao

Joao gave a nod to acknowledge that he understood. They didn't have enough time to fiddle around with the human weapon while there were inevitably others on the way. Joao found it extremely difficult to believe that only one human in the entire expansive building was armed. The question was how quickly they would locate the Apes, and whether or not they would fire on sight. If the security guard in the cafeteria was anything to go by, Joao doubted that they would hesitate. He had been lucky that the bullet hadn't lodged into his shoulder, but the graze alone was throbbing and stinging and he knew that the Apes couldn't stand up to that kindof weapon no matter how hard they tried. They needed to either avoid it before it could happen, or hope that they were quick enough to dodge the bullets. Unless they learned to fight back... Fire with fire. But they only had one gun, and no Ape who knew how to use it. But if they did, they would take on a very human trait. Was it worth that? They were not humans, they were Apes. They couldn't forget that.

Although he had reservations about it, he grunted to the Chimpanzee who had retrieved the medical kit and took it from her, taking a moment to figure out how the latch worked before he managed to get it open. He knew what was used to cover wounds, although he had never witnessed it being applied, but how difficult could it be? He picked out the gauze wrap from the kit and fumbled in his one handed attempt until the Chimp who had retrieved the kit stepped in to help him. Although Joao flinched and tensed initially, he forced himself to relax, accept the Ape's help, and trust her. If he couldn't trust his fellow Apes, he couldn't pull this off. They all had to be on the same side, with no divides. Besides, this was as close as he'd received to grooming in as long as he could remember, and he was reluctant to admit that it did feel nice.

They would be able to freely groom one another once they were free. Find their own food, hunt. Just exist on their own terms. He could hardly wait.

Cozy

With Joao's wound being tended to and Abtik apparently preparing to speak, Cozy lowered himself into a crouch to conserve his energy. Once that door opened, it would be chaotic and they all needed their strength. Whether Joao would be able to manage it with his wound was unclear. Their bodies weren't used to free, unrestricted movement anymore. But they soon would be. That thought was what kept Cozy going. Getting through the human city to find a forest to live in would be the most difficult thing any of them would have to accomplish, and besides that, did any of them actually know where a forest was? What if there wasn't one near here? He almost wanted to ask Abtik, but convinced himself not to. He didn't want to be a bother, and he had to trust that Abtik knew what he was doing. Maybe Cozy's questions would be answered in Abtik's upcoming speech, and he wouldn't even need to ask them.

Either way, Cozy had to keep his head. Follow the other Apes, make sure he didn't get separated, and hope that not many of them perished before they could have their real taste of freedom. There were others to free as well, although Cozy didn't know how many, or where. Maybe there would be enough Apes by the time everything was said and done to be able to stand up to the humans and win, without having to run away. Not that he expected that to happen. Abtik didn't seem violent unless necessity called for it. In that case, Cozy hoped it wouldn't come down to that. There were just so many things, though, that he was unsure about right now.

Of all of it, one thing was very clear. Cozy would follow Abtik as closely as was possible once the doors opened. Without him, Cozy would be completely lost. ​
 
Abtik's expression grew... wary. Pinched in an outward manifestation of anticipation and his own brand of thoughtfulness. He was putting his thoughts in order, in a way that the other apes would understand. Simple human words they'd all picked up on, descriptive signs that would convey his meaning to those who did not fully comprehend what he'd said. If they were going to be free, taking his time to teach them the full depth of human language, because regardless of its origin, the human's time-saving, descriptive method of communication would be priceless if they were going to build their own society. And maybe, someday, they'd have their own language to slander humans with.

He laughed inwardly at the still-lingering echo of his own immaturity. He had no reason to insult or belittle humans other than the occasional remark. He'd matured over the years in captivity, scraped up whatever wisdom he could and put it to good use. Perhaps his "forgiveness" - if it truly could be called such - was a testament to that wisdom.


When certain Joao was taken care of, Abtik wandered off to find a high place for him to relay his speech. A stack of crates atop a forklift would do, for now. The ape shifted his grip on the pistol Joao had handed over, figuring out how to hold it comfortably, and slammed the butt of the weapon into the metal of the forklift. The resounding clang was enough to catch their attention, but he slammed the gun into the lift one more time just to make sure.

Once all eyes were on him, he began. "Lifetimes, we are caged. No... contact. No family." He signed love after "family" to indicate the bond he hoped they would develop. He supplemented the word "contact" with touch for the apes who did not understand the term. In time, they would learn what he meant, and he would gladly help them along. "They say we belong here," he said, gesturing to all that was around them. "Belong to torment, sickness, death. We do not. Apes belong out there, away from humans. Safe, not sick. With family, and touch, and freedom."

Abtik paused to gauge the apes' expressions and feelings, and pulled himself to his full height atop the crates and gestured briefly to the door that would open to the outside. "Apes together, strong. Apes together, return home in freedom!"

And he tossed up his fist, and found himself drowning in the joyous howls and cheers of his brothers and sisters.
 
Joao

Joao grunted his gratitude to the female after she finished and stepped away from him. He had little to compare the wound to and as such, wasn't certain how threatening it was. Either way, he had no intention of allowing it to hold him back. Abtik's words gave him renewed purpose and confidence, more drive than he could ever remember having previously. His mind continued to ponder the possibilities of a free life and the more he thought about it, the less he was willing to allow anything to stand in his way. What little glimpses of memories he had from his infancy promised him a life surrounded by green, clean air, cool water that was never stale and food that was juicy and fresh. He remembered only colors from that painfully short time of his life, but the promise of color was all he needed after living a life of pale dirt followed by white floors and walls. Love, touch... Home. Joao had been kidding himself for so long by thinking that he didn't need family and contact. He had never really known what home was... But he was to learn.

The Bonobo slipped past the others to find a weapon of his own while they cheered, knowing that even if he hadn't given Abtik the gun, he wouldn't have been able to use it. He needed something simpler, more primitive... Like the bit of metal that Cozy was holding. United or not, Joao hadn't forgotten the sleepless nights on the Chimp's behalf. He stalked over to Cozy and didn't hesitate to take a firm hold of the weapon with his good arm and wrench it out of his hands. The Chimpanzee began hooting in protest, but one solid glare silenced him and he crouched in submission, his hand extended palm-up. Joao roughly swiped the palm that had been offered to him and turned away, intending to join Abtik on the front lines. Joao was a leader too, he had proven that. He deserved to be with Abtik as his second in command.

Cozy

Abtik had a way with words and knew exactly what to say to get the Apes at the ready. Cozy was nearly overwhelmed by the reaction of the others around him. He, too, felt empowered by what Abtik had promised them. He had every bit of confidence in their leader's ability to deliver what they deserved. His admiration for Abtik seemed to have no end; Cozy wished that he could be more outspoken and capable, like Abtik was. Maybe he could be now. This was a new beginning for all of them. Even Joao, it seemed, as the Bonobo approached Cozy in what the Chimpanzee foolishly believed was an attempt to make amends just before they took back their freedom. He should have known better, though, and although not completely surprised by what Joao did, Cozy was angry.

Cozy should have known better than to protest against Joao's thievery, though. Abtik's speech had gotten him so amped up that he had misjudged his place and over projected his confidence, and now all that he had to show for it was no weapon and humiliation before any Ape who had happened to witness the act. He sniffed sharply through his nostrils in frustration as he hobbled over to an opened crate in his characteristically hunched bipedal walk to rummage for something else to use to defend himself. The Chimpanzee was rewarded with a hammer that had been overlooked by the others; not as long of a range as the metal pole, but still effective for defense. Now, he was ready. He puffed out his coat and wavered from side to side as he shifted his weight from foot to foot in anticipation for what was to come.
​
 
Abtik bared his teeth to Joao in warning and welcome. It was his way of asserting himself as head of the group while also allowing, and even inviting, Joao to take up a place below him. He was not so foolish as to risk his position by being too friendly and accommodating, not when ambition threatened to collapse their delicate hierarchy. Whatever hierarchy that was would hopefully stabilize once they were free and could safely determine their own roles within the fledgling community, work together comfortably and without the fear that anything could be taken away, at any moment. For now, he was assured in his position, and was determined to keep it that way.

As the excitement died down, Abtik slipped down from his place and made his way towards the doors. The shutter-door lock would take a simple three-digit code of all the same symbols to unlock and open. Three-three-three. It was insignificant to him other than a key to escape, but he liked the sound of it and found himself repeating the code under his breath as he punched it in. He filed it away for later and stepped back while the door slid up and disappeared.

The lot beyond - if it could be called that, it seemed too empty - was concrete and asphalt, and the last bit of human civilization he hoped they would ever see. A security gate stretched around the perimeter, but it would be no problem to the apes. No barbed wire lined the gate, probably because most humans weren't willing to climb such a high thing in the first place. The only security he could make out were locked in booths at the far. They stopped illegal entry, not escape, he recalled.

It was the first breath of fresh air he'd had in a long while, and he embraced it fully. He urged his fellow apes on, into the open, without so much as a word. His actions alone, charged with confident energy, was enough to spur them on. Confidence-- it was always confidence.
 
Joao

The Bonobo grunted to Abtik, acknowledging his dominance by dipping his head. Joao was a leader, but not the leader. Second in command. He liked the sound of it, but hoped that he wouldn't be forced to take the position of alpha by circumstances that would lead to Abtik's demise. The Apes needed him. Joao wasn't as important and it was doubtful that the Apes would follow him without question in the same way that they did Abtik. Joao may have been the one who unlocked their cages, but it was Abtik who provided the knowledge, the plan, the key. It was Abtik who was freeing them. Even those who hadn't been enhanced with the drug seemed to understand that, as dumb as they were by comparison. He was their rightful leader, and nobody would be rising to challenge anytime soon, by Joao's calculations. He wasn't sure that he would willingly follow any of the others...

With the doors now open, Joao loped out of the building following behind Abtik and felt the sun warming his fur for the first time in years. That sensation alone nearly stopped him in his tracks, but the sirens sounding from inside of the building reminded him that they couldn't waste any time. He could soak up the feeling of the outdoors once they were safely out of human reach. There was still a fence between the Apes and their freedom that was far too reminiscent of the cages that Joao had known for so long. He bared his fangs at the sight and leapt from the asphalt to the metal, fingers and toes hooking into the chain links as best they could while still holding onto the metal pole that he had brought with him. It should have been child's play to climb the fence, but as he attempted to haul his weight upward, his injured shoulder gave out and the bonobo grimaced as his weight fell back to his other arm.

If he couldn't even climb this fence, how could he survive in a forest?

Cozy

With the ever present length of chain held in his teeth to keep it out of the way, Cozy assumed a quadrupedal position to run through the doors, with the exception of his right arm holding the hammer. He cleared the empty lot quickly and was climbing the fence alongside the many black bodies when he noticed that one was struggling. He was torn between the resentment he felt for Joao and the speech that Abtik had given; Apes together, strong. His brows pulled together as he positioned himself beneath the Bonobo and used his shoulder to push him upward, persisting even though the Bonobo seemed to protest the concept of needing help. One or two other Chimpanzees followed his lead, Apes that had been part of Joao's group moments before, and together, they managed to help Joao up and over the fence just before gun wielding humans arrived on the scene and bullets were fired in the Apes' direction.

Cozy hooted a warning for any Apes who hadn't noticed and before Joao could have any reaction to his help, Cozy loped off after the other Apes. They were on the other side of the fence now, the obstacle that would hopefully be their last before they could reclaim their rightful home in the forest that was visible in the distance. He could hear Joao behind him as he galloped along, the first shot from a gun sounding from the lot they had escaped from. It had zipped just above Cozy's head in a narrow miss and he shrieked in fear, having seen on Joao what the weapon could do. The Apes had to find a way to evade the bullets, because as it was, they were easy targets for a human with good aim. The Chimpanzee adopted a more zigzagging path in an attempt to make himself a more difficult target, just as he heard an Ape behind him get shot. Now multiple Apes had bullet wounds and would be slowed down, but they were so close...​
 
The air was warm and breezy and fresh, overwhelming to Abtik's stunted senses. It was a rush of sensations; clear air in his lungs, that smelled of sunlight and dirt and ruffled the fur along his back pleasantly. A sturdy ground of grass and not pristine white tile, soft and easy to grip in a way that felt utterly natural. He would soon learn to associate the word freedom with the concept of joy, and the concept of joy with this rush of sensations. The word took on a new meaning, one that seemed exciting and promising to him, and filled him with new energy. Abtik hauled himself over the gate with ease, turning briefly to make sure the other apes made it across as well--

A sharp something whizzed by his left ear, deafening him momentarily. Humans. He should have expected it; humans weren't stupid, but couldn't help a surge of condescension at their actions. Kill the apes, but in what way would that help the humans? That violent, careless logic was lost on him. Abtik did not, however, have time to ponder and urged his followers on, encouraging one another to help stragglers. He noticed a few had slowed down considerably, wounds leaking, and wondered how they were going to repair the damage with only primitive tools.

Their pain was temporary. He shoved the worry aside and focused on getting his fellow apes out of here, first.

"Move," he commanded to the first ape that passed him. "Move!"
 
Joao

Through the commotion of the gunshots and the screams both in Ape voice and human, one voice cut through to Joao's ears, and it was Abtik's. He felt a renewed vigor at the encouragement, if it could be called that. Either way, it worked for the Bonobo and he galloped as best he could, wondering if it was wrong of him to hope for some of the other wounded Apes to fall behind him so that they were more likely to be shot again than he was. It would go against what Abtik was trying to accomplish, which was unity, but in a literal life or death situation, Joao would think of himself first over the other Apes. Possibly not over Abtik's, since the Apes needed him to lead and as much as Joao would like to believe that he made a good leader for the few minutes that he had been given the chance, he couldn't compare himself to Abtik. Afterall, Joao had taken direction and then lead a group. Abtik made the direction for himself, put together plans, acted on it. Joao couldn't do that. At least, he hadn't. Whether he was capable of it in theory was up for debate.

The Bonobo managed to pass a Chimpanzee that had been shot multiple times and was considerably slower. He was more than halfway through the clearing that stretched between the lot and the trees and ahead of him, he could see the first of the Apes entering the trees. Envy welled inside of him, which drove him on further through the pain of his shoulder. He didn't know how large the forest was, but Apes disappeared into tree tops with many to spare. It would be enough, at least for now. He only hoped that it was expansive enough to hide them, if the humans came hunting. Joao knew, now, that if they did, they would come with guns that killed and not the kind that made them sleep. The Apes had crossed a human line of some sort, that much was now clear.

Cozy

The bark beneath his fingers and toes felt just the same as it had in his youth, as he hauled himself into the canopy of leaves. He felt safe here on an instinctual level that he couldn't describe or explain. This felt right. The more Apes that climbed into the trees around him, the better it felt. There was a sense of belonging that he'd never felt before. Even the sound of the breeze gently tickling the leaves sounded right. But what didn't was the pained cries of the Apes that hadn't yet reached the trees. From his vantage point, Cozy could see the others as they attempted to make it through the clearing and into the forest, but one had already collapsed, and another looked close. Cozy didn't recognize them as Apes who had been near his cage. Even if he didn't know them by name and by face, the feeling of loss was still the same.

The trees around him rattled, branches creaking, bark scraping as Chimpanzees and Bonobos found perches within the forest. The majority had made it. Even Joao was slowly but surely ascending a tree trunk to Cozy's right. Joao had been one of the luckier of the injured Apes, wounded only by one bullet. Several others had multiple injuries. The Apes would need to come up with a solution to that, a way to treat wounds that didn't involve human things such as gauze and white medical tape. It was one of the many things that they would need to learn in order to survive in the wilderness. Those who had been wild caught would be their saving grace, tapping into the knowledge they had gained before their capture. Cozy wondered if Abtik had come from the wild. Perhaps he would ask, after everything settled down.

That is, assuming the humans left them be. ​
 
Less apes had fallen than expected, which was a quiet relief. Death was death, but he would look on these fallen apes and refer to them as sacrifices, and sacrifices deserved honor; whatever sort of honor apes had. Deserving of respect, or reverence, even in death? A vigil before they slept, in remembrance. Something to show that they still cared even after their own had passed. It felt right, familial and close, even if he hadn't known the apes in question very well. He'd offer his respects, then, and show the others that it was okay to mourn and extend care to those beyond oneself.

It would encourage bonding. They would be a family in the wilderness, and would need the strong bonds that entails to keep them alive. The humans won't be easy on them.

Abtik scrambled up the first tree he'd laid a hand on, pulling himself high into the branches where each tree overlapped with each other and made a delicate bridge above the forest floor. They'd need to go deeper in, keep climbing until the sun set. Only then would they be safe to sleep, as high up in the trees as they could go. He'd take them west and into the heart of the woods, miles away from human civilization. Only then would they mourn, and Abtik would begin his plans to free the rest of the apes. With more numbers, they could fight back and begin building apart from the humans.

It seemed like a dream, or an idealistic hope. But now it was possible, and Abtik couldn't fight the elation growing within him. A few other apes had followed him into the trees and were guiding the stragglers with howls and echoes of Abtik's words of encouragement. He nudged one, and gestured further inward, and signed for him to pass it on.
 
Joao

Finally in a tree, finally safe... Bark beneath his hands and feet, leaves surrounding him causing a dappling of sunlight and shade on his thinning coat that he hoped would grow out now that he wouldn't be forced to exist on hard, manmade surfaces. It was nearly too much to take in, even as his heartbeat slowed to something more normal. His shoulder ached and he was nearly certain that his movement had caused the wound to tear into something larger than it had been, but it wasn't severe enough for him to put much worry towards. The makeshift bandage was helping. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he did. Besides, there were Apes who made it into the trees that had been shot directly, bullet lodging into their body, and they seemed to be alright enough. Joao's was only a graze. He would survive, it would heal, but there would no doubt be a scar to remember this day by. And that wasn't the only thing... Joao still had the key clutched between his lips.

A Chimpanzee pressed a knuckle to his good shoulder to capture his attention. She signed that they were moving deeper into the forest, and that Abtik wanted each of them to tell another Ape to ensure that they all received the message. He grunted to acknowledge her and watched as she moved off through the trees, something he knew that he would struggle with, but he would manage. He looked around him for an Ape to tell, and found that Cozy was the closest. Of course he was. A harsh, growling grunt in his direction got the job done and Joao signed quickly before beginning to climb along the branches that came close enough for him to allow to move through the trees that way, rather than swinging and putting more strain on his shoulder. He wondered how far into the forest they would go, what they would find waiting for them there. The best part was knowing that he would get find out, for sure, and not in an imagined world in his head. This was real, it was happening. They were free.

Cozy

Cozy had an advantage over some of the others, it seemed. He had experience in trees. He watched some of them - younger ones, he noted - grab branches that were obviously too thin to support their weight, and shriek in shock as the branch dipped or broke. It might have been amusing to some, but it illustrated to Cozy just how much the Apes had to learn in order to survive here. They had most likely been born into human care as Cozy had, but hadn't been allowed to play and explore in trees with their caretakers when they were young. It wasn't too much of a stretch to assume that they had been born at laboratories. Cozy's heart ached at that thought, but at least they were experiencing outside now. Outside. It had been Cozy's favorite sign when he was young, before he'd left the zoo...

Cozy found himself near Abtik after a few minutes of swinging and climbing, and felt himself well with admiration. There were so many things that he wanted to ask him. Maybe he would get the chance to. Later, once they'd stopped to rest. And hopefully eat. Cozy had noticed only after the chase had ended that his stomach was empty, and protesting. But he didn't know what to eat in the woods. His food had always been handed to him by humans, and he didn't see anything here that he recognized. They hadn't come all this way just to starve. They would find something. Abtik wouldn't let them all go hungry. Cozy was sure of it.

Still, Cozy would have a lot to talk about with Abtik, when the opportunity would present itself.​
 
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